Uses of radiation
Early uses
Radium was very popular as a component of consumer products, especially in the 1920s.
It was used for:
- Water jars
- Waterproof polish
- Toothpaste
- Heat pads
- Toys
- Cigarettes
- Condoms
Anything with 'radium' on it would instantly sell better.
Current uses
- Strengthening materials like latex (for surgical gloves, vehicle tyres, …)
- Agriculture: mutation breeding to improve plant species
- Tracers in scientific research (e.g. in plants ($CO_2$))
- Pest control (sterile male techniques)
- Measuring thickness of paper
- Mutations in crop breeding
- Food sterilisation
- Nuclear weapons
- Nuclear power
- Submarines
- Medicine
Risk benefit analysis
- The risks with radioactive isotopes must be assessed if radioactive isotopes are to be used beneficially
- The benefits are easy to assess, but the risks are more difficult
Difficulties assessing risks
- Chronic symptoms - impacts of exposure don't appear for years in some cases
- Ethics - can't test radiation on humans
- Other factors causing the same symptoms / hard to determine the source
- Symptoms may be similar to others from different causes
- Accuracy of data (of impacts on human health, of levels of exposure)
- Risks may be outweighed by other risks (e.g. having X-rays and CT scans, radiotherapy)
- People may react differently
- Different environmental factors/different environments affecting exposure (critical pathway analysis and monitoring needed / some areas have higher background radiation)
- Long term exposure to small doses (e.g. through food/water) is difficult to measure
- ALARA principle: 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable' i.e. using the lowest possible dose/exposure to achieve the desired benefit